BOXING:EUROPEAN bronze medallist Eric Donovan looked sharp and focused as he beat Gavin Keating 24-10 at the Open Unseeded Elite Competition at Dublin's National Stadium yesterday.

Donovan will now meet his St Michael’s, Athy team-mate David Oliver Joyce in the semi-finals today after the 2009 EU champion forced Jason Conroy into a standing count in the second en route to a 13-5 victory.

“It’s a pity we have to box each other again,” said Joyce. “We have met twice before and we have won one apiece. Whoever wants to get to the worlds will have to win.”

In all, 13 quarter-finals were decided yesterday with Elite welterweight champion Adam Nolan turning in an exhibition to post a comprehensive 21-6 verdict over Niall Murray, while John Joe Joyce let a 3-1 first round lead slip against his St Michaels Athy team-mate Roy Sheehan.

Sheehan got the better of some furious exchanges in the second round of this encounter and was full value for a 16-8 victory.